The instant invention relates to a portable acoustical shield and sound enhancing enclosure that is defined by cooperating transparent plastic panels interconnected by unique padded clamps. In a live performance, particularly in smaller buildings where minimum volume is critical, it is desirable to reduce the amount of sound directed toward the audience from the source. Reflecting the sound back to the source allows for sound absorption and superior definition of sound through the central public address system. It is further desirable, in the performing arts, to improve the clarity of sound by preventing interference attributable to the pick up of a musician's sound by a fellow musician's microphone.
A portable structure for separating a particular musician from other musicians to prevent interference among sounds is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,290,332 to Schoeffling, Jr., which describes an upper and lower sandwich of plastic sheets held in place by a frame and hinge assembly.
Various other portable acoustical structures are directed to reflecting sound. U.S. Pat. No. 4,278,145 to Eade et al. discloses a concert shell comprising curvilinear panels mounted in frames wherein the upper panels are cantilevered in relation to the lower panels. Similar devices are shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,908,787 to Wenger et al. and 3,232,370 to Jaffe.
None of the prior art devices serves to both reflect and separate sound while requiring few parts and being simple to assemble, to dismantle and to transport.
It is an object of this invention to provide an acoustical shield between a musician and his audience for reducing the stage volume of an instrument so that the sound may be controlled more accurately by microphone.
It is an additional object of this invention to provide an acoustical shield for reflecting sound back to the sound source for absorption.
It is a further object of this invention to provide an acoustical shield for reflecting sound back to the sound source for superior definition of sound through the central public address system.
Another object of this invention is to provide a sound enhancing enclosure for improving the clarity of sound by eliminating the interference of sound from one instrument in the microphone of another instrument.
Another object of this invention is to provide a sound enhancing enclosure for maximizing the separation of sound among various instruments.
A further object of this invention is to provide an acoustical shield and sound enhancing enclosure that is easily assembled and disassembled.
It is also an object of this invention to provide an acoustical shield and sound enhancing enclosure that is lightweight and is easily packaged and transported.
Another object of this invention is to provide an acoustical shield and sound enhancing enclosure that is visually unobstructive.
Another object of this invention is to provide an acoustical shield and sound enhancing enclosure that does not require a panel supporting frame.